Paul the psychic octopus is no more!

Paul, the Octopus, the favorite sea creature during the last World Cup Soccer has died at the age of 2.5 yrs. Steffan Porwoll, a manger at Oberhausen Sea Life Centre in Germany, where Paul lived and made his famous predictions said that Paul had passed away peacefully during the night, of natural causes. Of course, the conspiracy theorists are speculating other reasons for his death.
Jiang Xiao, a Chinese Filmmaker, who is making a film titled "Kill Paul Octopus" about Paul's predictions, told Guardian that she was "60 - 70 percent sure that Paul was dead on 9th July and the Germans have been covering up his death. . . . Octopuses all look the same. It is impossible to tell the difference."
For the Paul lovers, a condolence section has been set up on his facebook page, and the Sea Life Centre has decided of honoring his life with a burial plot and a modest permanent shrine on their grounds.
[tags psychic, paul, octopus, world cup, soccer, football]

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Beetle Bailey Turned Sixty!

On this Sept. 4th, Beetle Bailey, one of the most loved comic strip characters and my idol turned sixty. The brainchild of cartoon artist Mort Walker, was first published on Sept. 4th , 1950. The story is set in a fictional US army camp 'Swampy' where Beetle joined after he left his college and got enrolled with the Army during the Korean War. In these sixty years, Beetle had not for once been in a war.
King Features, the syndicating service for Beetle Bailey is celebrating the 60 years of Beetle Bailey by running Sunday cartoons that feature Beetle in re-enactment of various events of US military history like end of World War-II, crossing of Delaware with George Washington. About Beetle, Walker says - "He is still pretty much lazy. . . He represents the little man in all of us". And this is so true. . Don't we just love this lazy fellow!!

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Get your Address Proof from Post Office

The Indian Postal Department is now issuing address cum identity proofs. To get the postal identity cards you have to make an application on prescribed form for Rs. 10/- and submit it with a fee of Rs. 240/- in the nearby Head Post office, as not all the post offices are providing this service. Once you have submitted the application form for Postal Address cum Identity Proof, a postman will visit your place to verify your address. Once the verification is complete, you will get the Postal Address cum Identity card. However the whole process may take upto a maximum of 2 months. The ID once issued will be valid for 3 years after which it has to be renewed for a fee of Rs. 140/-. In case you lose the Postal Address cum Residence Proof, the postal department will issue you a duplicate proof for a fee of Rs. 190/-.
Though the initiative by the Indian Postal Department is appreciable, i have noticed a few downsides -
1.) In some places like Bangalore, the postal department is demanding the Voter ID to issue the residence cum identity proof. At this moment i can not find a single reason as to why a person with Voter ID will need a Postal ID.
2.) The maximum time duration for the entire process is 2 months, which is kinda too much stretched in my opinion.
3.) Are these ids recognized by other Govt. Departments? Are these valid for opening a bank a/c, etc.
So did you apply for you Postal Residence cum Identity Proof? Did you face any problem? Share your thoughts with me.

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Subsidized!

How much would it cost you to have a Dosa at your local fast food shack? Rs. 20/- maybe
What bout a Katori of Kheer? Rs. 20/- i guess
And a plate of Butter Chicken? Definitely anything above 30 bucks.
And if you try the same items in semi "Posh" restaurants they may create a hole in your wallet 4/5 times bigger.
But what if someone tells you that he gets to eat a Dosa only for Rs. 4/-, Kheer for Rs. 5.50 and Butter Chicken for Rs. 27/- only, would u believe him/her? In my opinion you should if that person happens to be a Member of Parliament or works in Parliament. The following list of Parliament House Canteen Food Rates will make the facts clear -
Tea Re. 1.00
Soup Rs. 5.50
Dal (1 katori) Rs. 1.50
Veg. Thali (Dal, Subzi, 4 Chapatis, Rice/Pulao, Curd, Salad) Rs. 12.50
Non Veg. Thali Rs. 22.00
Curd Rice Rs. 11.00
Veg. Pulao Rs. 8.00
Chicken Biryani Rs. 34.00
Fish Curry and Rice Rs. 13.00
Rajma Rice Rs. 7.00
Tomato Rice Rs. 7.00
Fish Fry Rs. 17.00
Chicken Curry Rs. 20.50
Chicken Masala Rs. 24.50
Butter Chicken Rs. 27.00
Chapati (per piece) Re. 1.00
Rice (per plate) Rs. 2.00
Dosa Rs. 4
Kheer (per Katori) Rs. 5.50
Fruit Cake Rs. 9.50
Fruit Salad Rs. 7.00
The rates of the items were last revised in 2004. Since then i guess the authorities have not realised the need to revise the rates. Thinking of it, now i have some clue bout why the inflation problem is getting worse every year in India. With the ever increasing paychecks and perks and the "SUPER-SUBSIDIZED" food our representatives at parliament have no real reason to take concrete steps to curb inflation. Did i use the word 'Subsidized'? Oh Yes! I did . . And it means that WE are paying for the food that these MPs eat though we have a hard time making our personal budgets and buying Dal for more than Rs. 100/- per Kg. But then it is Indian Democracy and we do things differently in India.

P.S. - Happy Independence Day!

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Amazing India!

(This one is a forwarded sms from a friend)

What is India??..

1. A Nation where Pizza reaches home Faster than Ambulance & Police,
2. Where U get Car Loan @ 5% but Education Loan @ 12%
3. Where Rice is Rs.40 but Sim card is free
4. Where people standing at tea stall reading an article about child labour from newspapr & say "Yaar Bachho Se Kaam Karwane Walo Ko To Fansi Par Chara Dena Chahiye'' & then they shout 'Oye CHOTU 2 Chai La'
This is our INDIA,
Incredible India...

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